The City of Johns Creek, Forsyth County, and State officials gathered on Tuesday, March 11, to officially break ground on the McGinnis Ferry Road widening project, which will widen approximately 2.5 miles from Douglas Road to Hospital Parkway. The ground was officially broken to commence the operation at the intersection of Hospital Parkway and McGinnis Ferry Road.
The ceremony commemorated the start of Phase I (eastern portion) of a two-phase project to widen McGinnis Ferry Road from Ronald Reagan Boulevard east of the new SR 400 interchange, which is currently under construction, to Hospital Parkway (Emory Johns Creek Hospital). The anticipated duration of the Phase I widening project is three years.
“This project could not have gotten started without the dedicated resources and partnership between Forsyth County, GDOT and the City of Johns Creek,” said John Bradberry, Mayor of Johns Creek. “Improving a regional artery like McGinnis Ferry Road will provide congestion relief and improve access to Emory Johns Creek Hospital and the new Town Center.”
The ceremony featured remarks from State Transportation Board Member Rudy Bowen, Forsyth County District 5 Commissioner Laura Semanson, Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry and Forsyth County Manager David McKee.
“This project is a great example of SPLOST pennies hard at work providing another important investment in our County’s infrastructure that will enhance the quality of life for citizens for years to come,” said District 5 Commissioner Laura Semanson. “Thank you to the voters of Forsyth County for making this project possible with the voter-approved SPLOST, as well as our partners with the City of Johns Creek and GDOT.”
Stage construction and traffic control devices will be utilized to maintain traffic throughout construction, which may require temporary lane closures.
The north side of the project will include a 16-foot-wide urban shoulder with a 10-foot-wide multi-use path, and the south side will include a 12-foot-wide urban shoulder with a five-foot-wide sidewalk.
Funding sources for Phase I of the McGinnis Ferry Road widening project includes $20 million from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), $14.4 million from Forsyth County, primarily funded by Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), and Transportation Bond funds: $8.1 million from the City of Johns Creek and $1.5 million from Fulton County Water & Sewer.
Once funded, Phase II of the project will consist of widening the remaining scope of the project from Ronald Reagan Boulevard to Douglas Road (western portion). Both phases will include widening McGinnis Ferry Road from a two-lane road to a four-lane road, divided by a 20-foot raised median.
Forsyth County is managing construction for Phase I of the project with CMES Inc. serving as the roadway contractor and Jacobs Engineering Group providing construction engineering and inspection services. The project also includes curb and gutter, as well as the installation of drainage structures, storm drainpipes, water lines and appurtenances, asphalt, traffic signals and markings, landscaping, measures for erosion, sedimentation and pollution control, and other associated work.
